Bauchi guber: APM sues INEC, PRP, deputy candidate

From Ahmed Mohammed, Bauchi

The Allied Peoples Movement (APM) has filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Bauchi, challenging the eligibility of Tijjani Aliyu Mohammed, the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) deputy governorship candidate, to contest the 2027 Bauchi State governorship election.

The party argued that Tijjani Aliyu’s name was not included in the list of members the PRP submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before the commission’s deadline for submission of party membership registers.

The APM’s legal adviser, Barrister Jidauna Tula, told reporters in Bauchi that the suit, numbered FHC/BAU/CS/70/2026, was filed to seek the court’s interpretation of the electoral law regarding Tijjani Aliyu Mohammed’s candidacy in the interest of justice and fairness.

Tula said the suit sought the enforcement of Sections 77(4), 77(5) and 77(6) of the Electoral Act 2026.

He said the case was instituted against INEC, Tijjani Aliyu Mohammed and the PRP following the publication of Tijjani Aliyu’s name by the electoral body as the party’s deputy governorship candidate for the 2027 election.

According to him, the APM asked the court to determine whether the publication of Tijjani Aliyu’s name as the PRP deputy governorship candidate was lawful, having regard to the combined provisions of Sections 177(c) and 187(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).

Tula said the party asked the court to determine “whether the publication by the electoral body, on the 10th of October 2026, displaying the name of Tijjani Aliyu as the running mate/Deputy Governorship candidate of the 3rd Defendant for the 2027 Bauchi State Governorship Election is lawful, having regards to the combined provisions of Sections 77(4), 77(5) and 77(6) of the Electoral Act 2026”.

He said the party also asked the court to determine “whether having regards to Section 77(5) of the Electoral Act 2026, the name of Tijjani Aliyu was lawfully published by INEC on the 10th day of October 2026 as the running mate/Deputy Governorship candidate of the PRP in the 2027 Bauchi State Governorship election, when the Tijjani Aliyu Mohammed’s name was not present on the 3rd Defendant’s register of members submitted by the PRP to INEC”.

Tula said the APM had further asked the court to determine “whether the INEC lawfully published the name of the Tijjani Aliyu on the 10th day of October 2026 as the running mate/Deputy Governorship candidate of the PRP in the 2027 Bauchi State Governorship election given the 2nd Defendant’s continued membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as at the 10th day of May 2026 when PRP submitted its register of members to INEC”.

The legal adviser said the party also sought the court’s determination on “whether INEC lawfully published the name of Tijjani on the 10th day of October 2026 as the running mate/Deputy Governorship candidate of the 3rd Defendant in the 2027 Bauchi State Governorship election, the 3rd Defendant having failed to comply with the provisions of Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act, 2026 when it submitted her register of members to the INEC on the 10th of May, 2026, and held its primary election on the 25th day of May 2026”.

Last week, the APM filed another suit challenging the eligibility of the PRP governorship candidate, Senator Shehu Buba Umar, to contest the 2027 Bauchi State governorship election.

However, Buba’s legal team argued that his candidacy was lawful.